Fantasy Football Replacing both our AC units! Brand question. - Page 4

**lewdog** · 03-25-2021, 05:38 PM

Lots of badass help on CP for these home maintenance things!

Replacing our 2.5 and 3.5 ton Carrier AC systems that are 18 years old.

Have had similar quotes for Carrier and Lennox brands. Recommendations on these brands? Other brands to look at or avoid?

Chief Roundup · 03-26-2021, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Beans

Stay away from Goodman. Trash, straight trash.

There is definite truth here. Let us keep in mind that Trane/American Standard makes their own compressor while EVERY other company uses a Copeland Scroll compressor. There are only so many companies that make all the coils, motors, electronics, boards, and cabinets for every A/C, furnace, and air handler available. Yes, there are shit loads of differences but it is in the quality control, the thickness of metal cabinets, insulation, testing, and stuff like that. Contactor for example there is only 3 of those even designed for residential use. Industrial/Commercial is a different ball game.

Chief Roundup · 03-26-2021, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F150

we have two American Standard Units. Great warranty when we bought, installer is awesome, he did my mitsubishi Mini splits in a different building as well. far more efficient than the old units I replaced

Best on the market IMO. Have been for a while too. They were the first company to put a variable speed outdoor fan motor to allow the unit to operate as a heat pump in colder temps. Now they have a variable speed compressor and fan motor so they can operate more efficiently at even lower temps.
Lots and lots of engineering and research into those units. They are not cheap but they are awesome.

IowaHawkeyeChief · 03-26-2021, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by btlook1

Good Thread.

Planning on building a new house in the next year or two. Going to be about 1400 sq. feet and plan to have radiant heat put in the slab.....was thinking the ductless might be enough to get us by....Thoughts on them? This plans to be our retirement home and want it small and tightly built warm in winter and cool in the summer. Don't need a big house anymore.

I'm getting ready to build a slab duplex this summer. I think I am having radiant hydronic heat in the floor, and I think am going to do a 3 zone mini split and put the copper n the new construction so it's a clean look according to my HVAC guy. It just makes no sense to have an air handler when you have no furnace if you can avoid it. I was thinking about a mini split heat pump as well, but a slab floor in Iowa may get cold and I may hear complaints from future tenants. Any thoughts from others on here would be appreciated.

kstater · 03-26-2021, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I ran across an old Lennox Pulse this past winter...you ever seen one of those rigs? Holy shit that was a contraption and an absolute nightmare to try to work on.

I've got one. About 40 years old. Efficient as hell, just sounds like an airplane.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

Oxford · 03-26-2021, 10:24 AM

A couple of things, had this done about 8 years ago. Went from a Rheem gas furnace/AC (1996) to a York Heat pump/AC/gas furnace backup. From the first day we moved into the house (it was built for us) we had warm/cold/temperate zones. The York dealer came out, surveyed, listened to us and added another air return and upsized another. Big difference in the overall comfort and a lower utility bill.

The first York locked up within 2 days, but they replaced it in 3 hours and its been fine since. It has always had a "hard" start but the kit we put in last year seems to make it better.

Installer makes a LOT of the difference

**alpha_omega** · 03-26-2021, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatinKS

I bought a house that already had a Amana installed. Here in central Kansas the cottonwood trees seeds tend to plug off the fins in June. To properly clean the fins you need to wash from the inside out. Does anyone recommend a brand that make access easy from the top to blow or wash out the cottonwood seed? My current unit makes it difficult as power cords to fan are very short.

SuperBowl4 · 03-26-2021, 10:30 AM

Bryant

Hog Rider · 03-26-2021, 10:40 AM

A Heil was installed when we built our home in 1994. Changed thermostat about 15 years ago. Otherwise no issues at all 'till the draft inducer blower started rattling on start-up.
I changed it out in February.

I'm sure most brands will do quite well if installed properly like some folks have suggested.

Peter Gibbons · 03-26-2021, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oxford

A couple of things, had this done about 8 years ago. Went from a Rheem gas furnace/AC (1996) to a York Heat pump/AC/gas furnace backup. From the first day we moved into the house (it was built for us) we had warm/cold/temperate zones. The York dealer came out, surveyed, listened to us and added another air return and upsized another. Big difference in the overall comfort and a lower utility bill.

The first York locked up within 2 days, but they replaced it in 3 hours and its been fine since. It has always had a "hard" start but the kit we put in last year seems to make it better.

Installer makes a LOT of the difference

I completely agree. Find the installer who you think is the most qualified and doing the best job of inspecting YOUR house and ductwork and you will likely get the best result. I truly believe asking questions about their heat load calculations and how they sized your system, the size of your ductwork and the expected air flow is key to finding a good installer. In my experience, most installers oversize the supply and undersize the returns when they don’t do a proper load calculation. You won’t be happy with that result.

**Bob Dole** · 03-26-2021, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Ductless systems can be very nice. They definitely have their place in the market. They are very efficient. You don't have to cut holes all in your house for vents and returns as you do with a central split system. They are good for open floor plan types but not as good for a multi-level floor plan that has lots of doors and corners. Of course, a person can install more of them but it just kind of defeats the purpose at that point.

I intend to install a ductless system in the next month. I’ve got one interior door in the entire house, and it’s open most of the time. Very open floor plan with a loft. I’m excited to finally be rid of the space heaters and window a/c.

CatinKS · 03-26-2021, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpha_omega

Laugh its my neighbors tree, but the cotton seed can travel a very long distance, so probably Neighbors.

**Bugeater** · 03-26-2021, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatinKS

I bought a house that already had a Amana installed. Here in central Kansas the cottonwood trees seeds tend to plug off the fins in June. To properly clean the fins you need to wash from the inside out. Does anyone recommend a brand that make access easy from the top to blow or wash out the cottonwood seed? My current unit makes it difficult as power cords to fan are very short.

You could try one of these or a similar product:

http://www.watersaber.com/

But be aware that it is possible to bend the inside fins over with high pressure, you just need enough water flow to flush the cotton out. Make sure to kill all power first as well.

Chief Roundup · 03-26-2021, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

I'm getting ready to build a slab duplex this summer. I think I am having radiant hydronic heat in the floor, and I think am going to do a 3 zone mini split and put the copper n the new construction so it's a clean look according to my HVAC guy. It just makes no sense to have an air handler when you have no furnace if you can avoid it. I was thinking about a mini split heat pump as well, but a slab floor in Iowa may get cold and I may hear complaints from future tenants. Any thoughts from others on here would be appreciated.

Make sure you get a company with decades of experience with radiant systems. Those are very hard to maintain and get set up properly. If you ever have problems with air getting into the system or need the glycol levels adjusted it can be a real tough ordeal.

Chief Roundup · 03-26-2021, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperBowl4

Bryant

This the 2cd tier of Carrier.

**007** · 03-27-2021, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lewdog

https://modernize.com/hvac/best-air-conditioner-brands

AC reviews.

Half the things I click on don't provide the option of replacing both the AC and furnace. Kind of pointless.

03-25-2021, 05:38 PM
lewdog Mod Team Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Valley of the hot as **** Casino cash: $1491900	Replacing both our AC units! Brand question. Lots of badass help on CP for these home maintenance things! Replacing our 2.5 and 3.5 ton Carrier AC systems that are 18 years old. Have had similar quotes for Carrier and Lennox brands. Recommendations on these brands? Other brands to look at or avoid?
Posts: 45,689

03-26-2021, 10:24 AM	#50
Oxford Regular Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Springfield,MO Casino cash: $9625535	A couple of things, had this done about 8 years ago. Went from a Rheem gas furnace/AC (1996) to a York Heat pump/AC/gas furnace backup. From the first day we moved into the house (it was built for us) we had warm/cold/temperate zones. The York dealer came out, surveyed, listened to us and added another air return and upsized another. Big difference in the overall comfort and a lower utility bill. The first York locked up within 2 days, but they replaced it in 3 hours and its been fine since. It has always had a "hard" start but the kit we put in last year seems to make it better. Installer makes a LOT of the difference __________________ I summon the IRON , Cookin up a whoopin for YOU YOU YOU!
Posts: 1,420	3 0

03-26-2021, 10:30 AM	#52
SuperBowl4 MVP Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: HERMOSA BEACH,CA Casino cash: $7984900	Bryant
Posts: 13,604

03-26-2021, 10:40 AM	#53
Hog Rider Former Illinoisian Join Date: May 2001 Location: South-Middle Tennessee Casino cash: $4495610	A Heil was installed when we built our home in 1994. Changed thermostat about 15 years ago. Otherwise no issues at all 'till the draft inducer blower started rattling on start-up. I changed it out in February. I'm sure most brands will do quite well if installed properly like some folks have suggested.
Posts: 1,085